


Take a chance

by noxfauna



Series: Prompts from Tumblr [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Drabble, Fluff, M/M, TW: Homophobia, past homophobia
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-11
Updated: 2014-05-11
Packaged: 2018-01-24 09:56:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 894
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1600670
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/noxfauna/pseuds/noxfauna
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's everything Howard dreamed, a future where he can marry the man he loves, so why can't he bring himself to walk down the isle?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Take a chance

**Author's Note:**

> Tumblr Prompt- Stoward: Howard gets cold feet on the eve of his marriage to Steve. Happy ending please.

Howard stared down at his shaking hands as he stood outside the chapel doors leading to the isle he was already supposed to be standing at the end of. A brief glance at the clock on the wall told him he was twenty minutes late, Steve would have already walked down the isle in front of all his friends, in front of his team, and in front of everyone else Tony could find despite the plea for a small ceremony. He had even scene a few camera crews setting up earlier to televise the union between ‘Captain America and Arms dealer that weaponized the Century.’

At least that’s how the tabloids had put it. The paparazzi waiting in the ceremony room for him to slip up, then they would hang him in every story printed. Just like the seventies with all the flower child gremlins that all wanted to claw his eyes out and skin him alive. And then the lavender scare happened and he had to glance over his shoulder everywhere he went to make sure he wasn’t being followed. That they wouldn’t gain any evidence to label him as a deviant.

Sure they may have legalized marriage in this century, but it wasn’t Howard’s own. He still remembered  the days that a mere whisper of two men loving each other would get them both hunted down. What if the just handed out marriage licenses so that they kept a list of people to silence later? Howard couldn’t do that to Steve, couldn’t ruin him like that. The mere thought stole the oxygen out of the room. Howard couldn’t do it, he couldn’t walk down the isle and hurt Steve. He needed air.

His footsteps were too loud as he ran, and Howard choked on his breath, bursting through the church’s back doors and taking deep gulping breaths of the outside air. He was very thankful that only the front doors were being washed, and that he could sit on the steps, rest his head in his hands and just  _breathe_. The few breathes he took were harsh and shaky, his hands going to his hair as he felt the tremble in his shoulders rush down his back and shake his whole frame.

When a hand landed on his shoulder Howard jumped and turned to jump over the steps railing and make a break for it. He had seen one too many stories of men being dragged away by police to be persecuted as a deranged pervert. But this one hand a strong grip and Howard was struggling like a fish caught in the net.

"Howard,  _Howard!_ Calm down.” Howard stilled, turning around to look into the sad eyes of his fiance.

Steve was wearing a white tux, the vest silver silk embroidered with a rose pattern, his tie a familiar red stripe.

"You’re… you’re wearing my tie." Howard stammered and Steve smiled.

"Had to have something borrowed."

"You look stunning."

"You look terrified." Howard winced, eyes darting down to look at his feet.

"I-I know we’ve talked about this, planned for this Steve but listen-" Howard was cut off by a finger pressed to his lips.

"No Howard you listen," And Howard nodded from the sternness in Steve’s voice and gaze. "I love you, and I know you love me to and that’s why you’re panicking over a chance, a  _chance_  of this somehow hurting me. But the only thing that could hurt me right now Howard is losing you again. It’s a goddamned miracle that I have you back and I don’t ever want to let you go.” Steve’s breath had turned shaky and Howard looked up to find tears in the others blue eyes. “I came into this century and they told me you were dead, and then I met Tony and figured out you had to hide who you were. That the times we had to sneak behind closed door just to hold each other didn’t end. But they’re gone now Howard, they’re gone right now and we can love each other and get married just like we dreamed about. So please  _please_  don’t let our chance of being happy go just because you're scared of me getting hurt. Because the thing that scares me most is you getting hurt. And right now you’re hurting because of what happened before. Just remember what you told me before, times change and people change with it.”

Howard nodded, feeling tears falling as he remembered the first time he told Steve those words. Laying together after their first night, Steve was still small. He had been telling him about wanting to buy a big house for them both, because after the war people had to come to their senses and realize love was love. They had dreamed that together, in the cot, Howard felt the trembling melt away with the warm memories.

"Okay…" He whispered and Steve swallowed.

"Okay what Howard?"

"Okay, let’s take a chance, go in there in front of everyone, with Tony as my best man and Bucky as your bridesmaid and show the whole place that no matter what we have each other, and that it’s a promise that no matter what happens we stay together." Howard smiled and Steve kissed his forehead.

"Good, now lets fix your hair and then we can walk down that isle, together." 


End file.
